Worm Not Turning

Since 1932, fewest turnovers forced by the Packers nine games into a season.

No.

Year

Record

8

2013

5-4

8

2004

5-4

9

1995

5-4

11

1983

4-5

12

1977

2-7

12

1992

3-6

12

2003

4-5

12

2012

6-3

More

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Well into November, the Green Bay Packers finally recovered a turnover in the second half of a game.

Give an assist to coach Mike McCarthy.

The 2013 season may come to be defined by an abundance of injury and a lack of turnovers. For the Packers yet again, the meaning of takeaway had more to do with attrition than footballs being wrested from the opposition.

This season, Green Bay’s defense has done little to force the issue. Instead, it appears hell-bent on entering the record book in a far off corner marked by futility.

With eight takeaways to date, defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ unit has tied the 2004 club for the fewest produced through the first nine games of a season (since 1932). The Packers have converted their meager haul into 23 points.

Green Bay has but three interceptions, its fewest after nine games since at least 1932. No player has more than one.

In each of the past 80 seasons, the Packers never had to wait beyond Game 7 to have someone grab a second pick. Fourteen times the wait was over before it began as a player came up with two in the season opener.

Most surprising? Until Sunday, Green Bay had not forced a turnover in the second half of any game.

Head back to 1921. A first-half drought of that length never occurred in 92 previous seasons.

With so many players out, there is no time like the present for the Packers to create turnovers. They managed one against the Eagles, but not until McCarthy challenged the ruling.

With just less than 11 minutes remaining, cornerback Tramon Williams and defensive end Mike Daniels dumped Eagles quarterback Nick Foles for a 9-yard loss. The ball came loose with Williams recovering, but Foles was ruled down by contact.

That changed after the play was reviewed. Foles was charged with a fumble, and Green Bay took over at the Philadelphia 13-yard line.

The Packers did not capitalize. Scott Tolzien, who replaced Wallace after the Packers’ first possession of the game, had his fourth-down throw to receiver Jordy Nelson in the end zone waved off as incomplete.

Even a challenge by McCarthy couldn’t overturn that call.

Philadelphia came close to a turnover only two other times in 58 offensive plays. Williams and safety Morgan Burnett were deprived of a possible interception by a first-quarter collision, leaving DeSean Jackson to come down with the batted ball and score a touchdown. Williams had another chance late in the third quarter while covering Jason Avant, but he couldn’t come up with the theft.

The Packers under McCarthy never have have been so lacking. From 2012 back through 2006, Green Bay had 12, 20, 19, 21, 17, 16 and 13 turnovers after nine games. In order, it converted those steals into 23, 60, 80, 75, 86, 72 and 43 points.

Turnovers, it has been said, come in bunches. For Green Bay, it must hope against hope that the four it extracted from the Bengals in Week 3 doesn’t go down as its only outing with multiple takeaways this year.

Extra point

Prior to this season, the 2006 team had weathered the longest dry spell without forcing a turnover in the second half of a game. Charles Woodson ended it in Game 6 by returning a Joey Harrington pass for a TD in Green Bay’s 34-24 win over Miami.